Volkswagen’s having a rough time here in the U.S., with flagging sales and a batch of U.S.-specific product—like a regularly priced mid-size SUV—that can’t arrive soon enough. Now, VW’s top labor rep, Bernd Osterloh, has been quoted in Automotive News describing the brand’s U.S. operations as “disastrous.” Ouch.

As much as we’d like the story here to be about German executives throwing down, the news truly is about how critical a time it is for Volkswagen here in the U.S. Sales in 2013 overall were down 5 percent relative to the year before despite the market’s overall rebound, and even crucial models like the tailored-for-the-U.S. mid-size Passat and compact Jetta sedan are finding fewer buyers. New product is on its way, but unfortunately not mainstream stuff VW desperately needs. The new Golf arrives this year, but is more premium than the Jetta—and likely will be priced accordingly—and the 2016 launch of the brand’s mid-size SUV (previewed by the CrossBlue concept), which it could have used five years ago, appears beleaguered. Osterloh says the brand still hasn’t picked out a production facility for the SUV, which is expected to be roomier and less expensive than the Touareg.

From our end, we think things with VW’s current offerings are improving—the new 1.8-liter turbo four is a much-needed replacement for the old inline-five that served as the Jetta, Passat, and Beetle‘s base engine, and the current-gen Jetta’s constant updates have returned some Euro zest to the initially drab sedan. And it looks as though Osterloh has some ideas for an American-market resurgence, and suggests VW add a pickup truck and more models to better compete here. VWoA has said time and again that taking on Detroit’s stranglehold on the full-size pickup market isn’t something it’s interested in. Although should Chevrolet’s new mid-size Colorado prove successful, it’s possible a case could be made for importing and Americanizing Volkswagen’s Amarok, and Osterloh’s suggestion wouldn’t be so laughable.